The Start menu has returned to the Windows operating system with the new Windows 10. The Start menu in Windows 10, although it isn’t identical to the one in Windows 7, is a perfect blend of Windows 7’s Start menu and Start screen of Windows 8.1.
With default settings, the Start menu in Windows 10 displays icons on the left side of the menu and app tiles on the right-side. Your user name appears at the top of the Start, whereas the power or shut down button appears towards the bottom of the menu.
Underneath the application icons, there are icons to access File Explorer and Settings quickly.
Unlike previous versions of Windows, Windows 10 doesn’t show color on Start, taskbar, and action center by default. Although Windows 10 picks up an accent color from the desktop background (desktop wallpaper) with default settings, the accent color appears neither on Start or nor the taskbar.
Because of this, the beautiful Start menu and useful taskbar wear a dark theme or color with default settings. However, if you prefer seeing the automatically selected accent color on the Start menu and taskbar, or if you want to set a custom color for the taskbar and Start, there is an option under the Settings app.
In this guide, we will show how you can change the default color of the Start menu and taskbar in Windows 10. Follow the directions mentioned in one of the given below methods to show color on Start, taskbar and action center, and then change the color of the Start menu and taskbar.
Method 1 of 3
Show color on Start, taskbar and action center
Step 1: Open the Settings app. Navigate to Personalization > Colors page.
Step 2: Here, in the Show accent color on the following surfaces section, select Start, taskbar, and action center option. Start menu, taskbar, and action center will now use the accent color instead of the default black color.
From now onwards, Windows 10 will automatically pick an accent color from the desktop background and will show the same on Start, taskbar, action center, and some other areas.
Step 3: To select a custom color, uncheck the Automatically pick an accent color from my background option. Finally, click on one of the color tiles or click Custom color icon to select a custom color.
Method 2 of 3
Change the color of Start menu and taskbar in Windows 10
Step 1: Right-click on the desktop and then click or tap Personalize option to navigate to the Personalization section of the Settings app. Navigate to the Colors tab.
Step 2: Make sure that in the Show accent color on the following surfaces section, Start, taskbar, and action center is selected.
Step 3: Uncheck the option titled Automatically pick an accent color from my background. Click a colored tile to select the color and apply it as the color for the Start, taskbar, action center, and other selected areas of the operating system. Or click on the Custom color icon and then create a color of your choice.
That’s it!
Method 3 of 3
Change Start, taskbar and action center color using Color and Appearance
Step 1: Navigate to Settings > Personalization > Colors page. Check Start, taskbar, and action center option under the Show accent color on the following surfaces section to show color on the Start.
Step 2: Next, open the Run command box by simultaneously pressing Windows + R keys.
Step 3: In the box, type the following code and then press Enter key to open Color and Appearance window.
shell:::{ED834ED6-4B5A-4bfe-8F11-A626DCB6A921} -Microsoft.Personalization\pageColorization
Step 4: Here, select a color of your choice before pressing the Save changes button. Good luck!
Do let us know if you’re unable to change the color of the taskbar and Start in Windows 10 even after following above mentioned directions. Don’t like the Start menu in Windows 10? Use the Classic Shell start menu on Windows 10.
